The Ontario government has announced that unvaccinated children will not face any different rules within the class setting. Education Minister Stephen Lecce and Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore have stated that COVID-19 vaccines will not be mandatory for students and school staff who are eligible.
Moore said:
“I do not anticipate a different approach, whether a child is vaccinated or unvaccinated on any activities within the school setting. We would not be knowledgeable of their immune status and there shouldn’t be any barriers or stigmatization of children who have not received a vaccine in any way.”
Lecce said on Wednesday that the government will not make vaccines mandatory because they want to
“respect the choices individuals will make.”
He still believes that people should get vaccinated and he urges the populace to take the shot in order to protect themselves, their friends and family.
An additional $25 million in funding will go towards improving air quality within schools when students return to class. On Wednesday, Moore added that he expects COVID-19 cases to rise in the next few months.
“Our numbers are slowly going up,” Moore said. “Immunization is the answer.”